Australia recognises Palestinian state: 'You can't just watch and not have a response'

Australia joined Canada and the United Kingdom in announcing it had formally recognised the "independent and sovereign state of Palestine". Australia's declaration was made by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Foreign Minister Penny Wong outside the United Nations in New York City, where Albanese will deliver his first address to the General Assembly as part of the high-level leaders' week summit.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has outlined steps the Palestinian Authority is now required to take to meet its obligations as part of recognition. (SBS news)

LISTEN TO

Australia recognises Palestinian state: 'You can't just watch and not have a response'

SBS Urdu

06:06Urdu

The formal statement was made in line with diplomatic allies Canada and the UK and comes into effect immediately. It is in line with a coordinated international push for a new path to a two-state solution as the devastating Hamas-Israel war in Gaza grinds on.

Israel's foreign ministry said political gestures "aimed at a domestic voting audience" would "harm" the Middle East.

Read the full SBS News article.

__________________

Listen Wednesday or Friday program at this link

Other ways to listen to the Urdu program

Our SBS Audio app is available for Apple and Android devices.

Listen on Spotify Podcast, or Apple Podcast